


Rescue Me

by evergrove



Series: Just us, aka the universe where Henry has left for college [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dogs, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-18 05:04:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10609827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evergrove/pseuds/evergrove
Summary: Henry is away in college. Emma and Regina adopt a dog. Domestic fluff. Established SQ.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [soulofsilence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulofsilence/gifts).



Henry had been away in college for two weeks, when Emma finally persuaded Regina to go with her to the local animal shelter. Emma had said that they were "just going to look at some cute animals, nope, nothing else".

It took them a few days to find time to go there together but during one afternoon Regina's meeting got cancelled and Emma had had enough of playing trash can basketball at the station.

The animal shelter was run by one of the newcomers in Storybrooke, Oliver. He had mostly dogs and cats, an occasional hamster or parrot. Once there Emma spotted a small fluffball on legs, who just wouldn't stop yapping.

"Ooh, look, what an adorable doggie," Emma was on her knees immediately at the cage door.

"That's a pomeranian. She's been here a while. People are a bit wary of her," Oliver paused, "noise levels."

"Who's a good girl, come here, sniff my hand, yes, come here. Good girl!" Emma didn't seem to hear the man anymore. Hearing about the dog's past reminded her of her own past; when no one had wanted her either.

Regina just sighed and Oliver shook his head. Then he opened the cage door and the dog jumped to Emma's lap at once. The pomeranian was a small dog, her coat was orange and it reminded Regina of Zelena.

"She looks and sounds like Zelena. Honestly, Emma, do you really want a dog who reminds us of my sister? Seriously?" Regina asked, baffled. Emma just shrugged and held the dog in her arms. The pom licked Emma's nose. Emma giggled.

"Look at her, she just wants to cuddle with me," Emma said. Then they both looked at Regina with the same expression. That awful, no good, puppy dog eyes expression Regina just could not resist.

"Oh, alright. You know I can't resist you when you look at me like that," Regina sighed. The dog jumped from Emma's lap and ran towards Regina. Regina was wearing a tight skirt, and she definitely did not want to crouch with that one, so she just gave her hand for the dog to lick.

"What's her name?" Regina asked. Oliver looked at the papers.

"Pita Slumber Sweetpaws III."

"Say what now?" Emma asked, certain that she'd heard wrong.

"That's what it says here," he double-checked.

"That's fine, we can call her Pawsie," Regina took the dog into her arms. "Be a good girl and I won't let Emma name you."

"Oy, I resent that!" Emma squealed. "I wanna call her Slumpy and I damn well will."

**

Regina had demanded that their bedroom was off limits for Slumpy. Emma had grudgingly agreed, she understood that dog hairs in their bed could hinder Regina's affection towards her, and the dog, in the end.

Slumpy hated the idea and whined the whole first night behind the bedroom door. Emma felt bad, but she knew not to challenge Regina on this matter.

"Babe, what's this?" Emma looked at the plush purple dog bed in their bedroom the following evening.

"You two were intolerable and I want to sleep during the night," Regina said while removing her make-up in the bathroom.

"Uh-huh. _We_ were intolerable?" Emma teased and hugged Regina from behind. "I love you."

That night all three of them slept soundly. Slumpy in her own purple bed and Regina and Emma in each other's arms in their own bed.

**

Henry had not been at all surprised when he heard of their new family member. In fact, he was the one who had planted the idea in Emma's head. He was home for the holidays and had brought a gift for the dog. A giant teddy bear, five times the size of Pawsie or Slumpy or whatever his mothers had decided to call her. Henry did not want to take sides on the matter, so he decided to call her Pita. All the more love to the little dog with several names, right? Or was it confusion, Henry wasn't sure.

Pita already had a number of toys. Auntie Zelena had brought a purple monkey and had cackled quite madly when she realized how accurate that actually was.

Regina had tried to be all nonchalant, but Henry knew she was completely in love, when she had bought Pita a purple collar with spikes and refused to let her wear any other collar. The collar even had "Pita Slumber Sweetpaws III" embroidered in it.

"So who's the pack leader? I bet it's Mom," Henry asked at breakfast on his first full day at home, scratching Pita behind the ears.

Emma choked on her toast and started coughing. Regina not-so-gently hit her in the back, trying to "help". Henry looked at the two, their behaviour was even more erratic than before they had told him they were dating.

"Me," Emma said, wheezing.

"Really? Ma?" Henry asked and started laughing. He had never seen his Mom pout so blatantly. "I mean, it's okay, because the dog chooses the pack leader. Mom, if we have another one, they might choose you."

Emma tried to signal Henry to stop because this was a really sore spot for Regina. Regina harrumphed and left the kitchen.

"Shit," Emma sighed. "I should've warned you. She'll be alright, she just needs a moment."

**

Regina decided to take Pawsie out for a walk after leaving the kitchen. The little dog had really stolen her heart and even though she was annoyed that Emma was the pack leader, she wasn't truly mad about it. In a way it was nice that someone else was there to be the leader for once. She wasn't going to let Emma know that just yet; Emma had been inventive in ways to make her feel better and Regina decided she still wanted the attention.

"Come here Pawsie, come to Mom, yes, come here, Mom's good girl," Regina said while checking that no one heard her. She was embarrassed to talk that way to Pawsie but it felt right. "Who's my ferocious little girl with the spiked collar, you are, yes, you are." She kissed Pawsie who immediately demanded belly rubs.

"Later, now let's go out!" Regina cringed at the high-pitched voice she had while talking to Pawsie. Pawsie loved it, yapping excitedly and jumping up and down.

It reminded Regina of the first time Pongo had met Pawsie. The bigger dog was so confused and didn't know what to make of the tiny yappy flurry of fluff around him jumping up and down. So he had just patiently waited until Pawsie calmed down and let him sniff her.

**

Emma had had a rough day at work. She had pulled a double shift because she took some time off while Henry had been at home.

Today she had spent way too much time chasing Pongo who had gone all wild because of some magically enhanced flying kittens. First it took a couple of hours to find Pongo and take him back to Archie. Then she had to find all the kittens, capture them and figure out where to take them. The solution had been Zelena. It was not ideal, but she had a farm - and magic - so she had been chosen to guard the kittens.

It was late when she got back home so she wasn't surprised that Regina was nowhere to be found. She was a bit surprised that Slumpy didn't come to greet her. Usually she had a warm welcome at any time of day. She ate the dinner Regina had left for her and then headed upstairs to the bedroom.

The image that greeted her was impossibly cute. Regina in Emma's sweatshirt, cuddling a fluffy happy dog. Slumpy was awake and looked at Emma.

"Yeah, sweetie, you got Mom all to yourself, right? Now you have to let Mama join you," Emma whispered. Regina mumbled in her sleep and Slumpy licked her face. Emma joined them in the bed, moved Slumpy from Regina's arms to her side of the bed.

"Sorry, she might have let you in the bed tonight, but I will not give up my spot."

Emma curled into Regina's arms and sighed happily. She had never been so loved in her life. Regina stirred, opened her eyes and kissed her.

"I was lonely and missed you, my love."

"I missed you, too. Go back to sleep, beautiful."

The little dog snored lightly.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: @soulofsilence described what kind of dog they'd be: "A small annoying yappy dog who likes to cuddle, Pita Slumber Sweetpaws III (slumpy! Pawsie!). And I have lots of toys! Mostly stuffed ones! Like a purple monkey! And a teddy bear larger than me! And my collar is purple with spikes so all the other dogs know how ferocious I am!"


End file.
